2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL First Test

Eyes on the Prize: Its Main Mission is to Catch Camry

"Sure are a lot of Altimas around here," said I to Trevor Lai and Shinichi Oikawa as we navigated a cozy neighborhood in Southern California. Both gentlemen are Nissan product planning managers and were riding along as I sampled the considerably revised 2013 Nissan Altima at its press introduction. During 30 minutes of driving, I noticed Altimas of all generations were everywhere: trundling alongside us, waiting at stop signs, parked in driveways.

"We didn't plant them here," a grinning Lai responded.I believe him -- it's unlikely Nissan needs assistance. The brand's breadwinner has sold more than 3.8 million units in 20 years and four generations. In midsize sedan sales last year, the Altima played second fiddle to the persistently top-selling Toyota Camry. How? Incentives flowed free, and natural catastrophes limited its biggest competitors' inventories. Oikawa-san acknowledges the Camry is the benchmark for the teams at the drawing boards and factories. Nissan, of course, is convinced its product is superior, and would love to topple its big bogey.

The last time an Altima partook in a Motor Trend comparison test ("Seven for All Mankind," May 2010), it scored seventh out of seven and the Camry was first. We had no qualms with the last-gen Nissan's driving dynamics or hushed cabin, but it lagged the competition in observed fuel economy, back-seat space, and value -- areas that characterize the D-segment. As fate would have it, we got our hands on a 2013 car in SL trim with a 2.5-liter inline-four, just like the one we drove two years ago.Certain aspects of the new Altima didn't change -- like the 109.3-inch wheelbase and engine displacements -- but a lot more did. For starters, the 2.5-liter is packing 182 hp, 7 more than the last model. It has valve timing cam-phasers tickling intake and exhaust sides (previously intake only), and gains a variable-flow intake manifold and smart-charging alternator programmed to reduce engine drag. Paired with a substantially updated continuously variable transmission (70 percent of the components were redesigned, with a taller axle ratio and wider ratio spread of 7.0 for strong off-the-line pickup and low-rpm highway cruising), the base powertrain combo is rated 27/38 mpg city/highway, a huge improvement over the 23/32 mpg of yore. Unless you're eyeing hybrid or diesel power, that's best-in-class. The optional 270-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 was left untouched, but a freshened CVT bumps the EPA figures from 20/27 to 22/30 mpg. Nissan expects 90 percent of Altima buyers to opt for the I-4. Believe it or not, as-tested four-cylinder acceleration is a full second quicker from 0-60 mph: 7.4 for 2013 versus 8.4 seconds for the earlier comparison car.

As lovers of driving, we're thrilled to report the Altima's sporting disposition remains intact. An engaging drive was a priority for the development team, so they felt it necessary to employ ZF Sachs shock absorbers, keep the hydraulic steering (though now electrically driven), widen the tracks, and completely rejigger the multilink rear suspension. Internal handling targets are ambitious, with the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class among them.

To help the sedately riding front-drive sedan's handling, Nissan incorporated a bit of passive rear steer using specially located links and a combination of eight bushings on each side that allow the rear outside wheel to toe in and rear inside wheel to toe out to follow the front wheels' steering path through a corner. The effect is more discernible when there's greater load transferred to the rear, i.e., when accelerating at speed in a turn. Maximum toe (we're talking just a few degrees here) is dictated by the bushings at full deflection, but an exact number was unavailable.We're getting tingly talking about rear steer, but it's not the lone reason for enhanced finesse. The 2013 Altima is lighter, thanks to greater application of ultra-high-strength steel and aluminum, along with a fuel tank that shrinks from 20 gallons to 18. Our 3182-pound 2.5 SL tester carries 17.5 pounds per horsepower versus 2010's 18.4.

Active Understeer Control, a new and standard electronic aid, keeps the nose clean in corners by braking the front inside wheel when the front end begins to push. The powertrain, chassis, and electronics upgrades come together on the figure eight, where the new car's 28.0-second run at 0.57 average g is 0.3 second quicker than that of its predecessor. Peak lateral grip is up, too: 0.84 g for 2013 and 0.77 for 2010. Yes, both Altimas were shod with long-lasting touring tires. There's a slight difference in chassis tuning when going from the 16- and 17-inch wheels to 18s.

The interior is more contemporary looking, still quiet, and its materials and colors are attractive. The front seats were influenced by NASA research for greater comfort. I don't know what an astronaut would consider comfortable, but the seats are quite nice. Underneath, the seat heater elements (on Altimas that have them) have been physically focused closer to the body's core to warm driver and passenger more quickly. Switching to a three-spoke steering wheel works wonders for the aesthetics, too.Our biggest Altima-related concern last go 'round was back-seat space, and it's been addressed, sort of. The good news: On paper, front and rear interior dimensions have increased, save for a 0.6-inch front headroom loss for models without moonroofs (adding a moonroof lops off another 0.9 inch). The bad: Again on paper, most of the competing midsize class will statistically rank ahead of the Nissan for back-seat room. MT's resident tall guy, Zach Gale (just over 6 foot 4), approves of the rear legroom with the driver's seat in his normal position, but is less enthusiastic about rear headroom.

If you're hunting for a value argument, it'll depend on how much credence you lend to new details such as the instrument cluster's 4-inch, customizable Advanced Drive-Assist Display and the NissanConnect Bluetooth/telematics suite. The ADAD has a Shinto gate-like outline and is raked 17 degrees away from the driver, starting at the bottom. Because the top of the ADAD is farther away from the driver's eyes, the screen promotes a more progressive flow in the driver's line of sight when switching between windshield and display.Technology is an Altima strong point, with standard and optional features including Easy Fill Tire Alert, remote start, and a blind-spot and lane-departure warning system that doesn't need dedicated sensors and runs off the backup camera. Greater attention to detail also means the side mirror turn indicators are tilted on the housing so vehicles sitting in the blind spots will be able to see the blinking, while foglight-less models get specific cutout fillers so it's not as obvious you didn't spring for the foglights. For $24,880, the volume 2.5 SV model is expected to shoulder the lion's share of the sales. Our fully loaded 2.5 SL costs $30,645, with options constituting $1815 of the sum.To say the Altima is ready for another comparison would be an understatement.